In brief: City to celebrate new entry sign

SPOKANE VALLEY – The city of Spokane Valley will dedicate its new entry sign at Thierman Road and Appleway Boulevard with a ceremony at 11 a.m. May 15.

The sign is on a freshly landscaped triangle of land that now includes grass, trees and shrubs. The land was donated to the city by Spokane County.

The mayor and members of the City Council are expected to attend. Parking will be available in the Display House parking lot.

Summer resource fair will be Friday

SPOKANE VALLEY – The Greater Spokane Valley Healthy Communities Network will host a Valley Summer Resource Fair at the Valley HUB from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday.

There will be information on recreational activities, events, camps, workshops and other programs being offered this summer. More than 40 organizations are expected to participate.

Admission to the resource fair is free. The HUB is at 19619 E. Cataldo Ave.

NWC student wins state pageant

SPOKANE – Victoria Cadwallader has been crowned Petite Miss Washington Pre-Teen 2013.

Cadwallader is 11 years old and in fifth grade at Northwest Christian Schools. She volunteers at SpokAnimal CARE and Northeast Youth Center and she hopes the title will give her more opportunities to help underprivileged and special-needs children, as well as shelter animals.

The Petite Miss Washington Pageant is part of the Mrs. America Pageant.

GU peace pole blessing Monday

SPOKANE – Gonzaga University’s global scholar in residence, the Venerable Geshe Thupten Phelgye, will donate a peace pole to the university in a special blessing and installation ceremony on the lawn behind Gonzaga’s College Hall at 3 p.m. Monday.

The 8-foot-tall peace pole is made of red cedar and has the phrase “May Peace Prevail on Earth” inscribed in English, Tibetan, Hebrew and Arabic.

Phelgye is giving the pole to Gonzaga as a sign of his appreciation for Gonzaga choosing him as the university’s first global scholar in residence. Born in Tibet, Phelgye holds a doctorate in Buddhist philosophy and is the founder of the Universal Compassion Movement, which promotes vegetarianism worldwide.

Call: (509) 313-6550.

Celebration marks retirement

SOUTH HILL – Long-time preschool teacher at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Evelyn Nyholm, is retiring.

The church is inviting former and current students and their families to a retirement celebration at 7 p.m. Monday in the fellowship hall at St. Mark’s, 316 E. 24th Ave.

Call: (509) 747-6677.

Special Olympics seeks volunteers

DOWNTOWN – The Special Olympics of Washington is looking for volunteers willing to rappel from downtown’s tallest building (the Bank of America Financial building, 20 stories, 264 feet) on June 22 as part of the organization’s fundraising event.

Participants must be at least 18 years old and raise $650 for Special Olympics to be considered.

Call: (509) 299-7117.